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November 11, 2009 |
Contact: John Barnes |
Small Business Owners Offer Solutions to Improve Business Climate
at Statewide Small Business Conference
Health care, workers’ comp among biggest concerns
Seattle - Small business owners, legislators, and policymakers from all over Washington gathered in SeaTac yesterday to discuss the state’s business climate at Washington Policy Center’s 2009 Small Business Conference. During several interactive issue breakout sessions, business owners suggested and discussed solutions to improve the climate for small businesses in Washington. This was the fourth statewide small business conference hosted by WPC since 2003.
The result is a list of priority solutions, selected by small business owners, for solving the major problems with the state's business climate. The top recommendations from each breakout session are below.
Health Care
1) Reform medical malpractice laws
2) Allow individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance across state lines
3) Focus on increasing the patient’s role in health care decisions
Workers Compensation Reform
1) End the state monopoly: WA should join 90% of the country and open the system to private competition
2) Provide a compromise and release option
3) Enact better, more aggressive claims management
Technology
1) Adopt a market-based approach to dealing with the Net Neutrality issue
2) Solicit and incorporate more small business input on the Net Neutrality issue
3) Exempt small businesses from the digital goods tax legislation
Environmental Regulations
1) Don't add or expand federal regulations to existing or new state regulations
2) Encourage market-based solutions for stormwater and other regulations
3) Simplify environmental regulations, make more objective and apply cost/benefit analyses
Unemployment Insurance Reform
1) Eliminate liberal construction of cases
2) Freeze the voluntary quit option
3) Keep UI benefits the same over the next calendar year
Regulatory Reform
1) Sunset rules after a certain number of years (five, for example)
2) Support better legislative oversight and accountability of major agency rule making
3) Put apprenticeship programs in Technical and Community colleges
Competitiveness Issues
1) Reduce the overall tax burden on businesses
2) Adopt an hourly wage rate for low-skill, new workers
3) Do not enact an employer gag rule
Tax Issues
1) Level the playing field with respect to gaming, cigarettes, etc.
2) Do not increase taxes
3) Continue with thorough performance audits of government agencies
“Small businesses can lead the way out of recession,” said WPC’s Center for Small Business Director Carl Gipson. “But they are struggling and yesterday business owners from around the state were very clear about what’s impacting them the most. We will take these recommendations to policymakers, and it’s up to them to do their part to improve Washington’s business climate so that businesses starting here do not fail because of unaffordable health insurance or a tax and regulatory system that is burdensome and even punitive.”
Washington Policy Center will publish a detailed analysis of the conference results in a report prior to the 2010 Legislative Session.
The conference opened with a legislative panel featuring state Department of Commerce Director Rogers Weed, Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle), and Rep. Gary Alexander (R-Olympia). Dr. Eugenio Alemán, a senior vice president and economist at Wells Fargo, delivered the keynote lunch address on the condition and direction of the national economy and how it is affecting small businesses.
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